The Crown
by PurpleDragon44
Summary: What happened when the Ice King put on his crown for the first time? What did he say to make his beloved Betty leave him?


Hello everyone. This is my first fanfic. Other ideas have been bouncing around my head, but I feel that I need to become a better writer before I can attempt them. This one-shot about the Ice King came to me, and I couldn't resist, since I haven't seen any other stories like this out there. I own nothing, like all the others out there writing fan fiction. Enjoy!

* * *

It had all started with a crown.

Simon had heard from a fellow antiquarian that the shop downtown had just gotten a new, supposedly cursed crown, and that the owner was offering it at quite the bargain because of its sketchy and slightly alarming history. The crown's past three owners had all died in extremely curious circumstances; one had gone mad, another had been shot during an attempted kidnapping, and the most recent had been found in the middle of summer covered with what looked like frostbite.

None of this worried Simon, though. He had dealt with many so-called "cursed" items, and nothing had ever happened.

* * *

He returned home with his latest treasure wrapped in innocuous brown paper, tucked carefully under his arm. When Betty came to greet him at the door, he knelt down on the plush carpet of their home, took her delicate pink hand in his, and kissed it.

"Milady, I have returned home with treasures from yonder village. Mayhaps the fair princess fancies a peek?"

Betty blushed and giggled a little at their inside joke. When they had first met, Simon had been so proper and polite that she had said that he was like a knight or king from olden times. Since then, she had always been referred to as his "princess".

"What has the daring prince brought today?" Betty asked, playing along. She eyed the brown package under Simon's arm, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.

Without another word, her fiancée rose, tore off the paper with a slight flourish, and offered it to her.

Betty turned it over in her hands, examining the gold and jewels. The crown had a tall center peak, with two shorter ones next to it, with a sparkling red jewel adorning each one. It was beautiful, and it put an idea in her head.

"Ah!" she said, marveling at its beauty, "a fit crown for the future king! 'Tis time for a coronation!" Betty playfully placed the crown on Simon's head. As soon as it was on, he snapped to attention, back straight, chin up, and eyes far away. Betty thought it was part of their act until she heard him speak.

"WHO ARE YOU?"

Rather than his usual sweet, low voice with a hint of playfulness that rumbled ever so slightly in his throat, Simon shouted in a high, grating tone edged with panic and hysteria. Betty trembled.

"Simon? Simon, it's me, Betty! Your fiancée…" She trailed off, worried. He continued to stare, so she went on, gently reminding him of what his life held. "We live together, Simon. We're going to be married soon."

He broke out of his trance, screaming. "NO! NONONONONONO, NO! I WOULD NEVER DO THAT, EVER! I COULDN'T!" Simon fell to his knees, sobbing. Betty, too, was tearing up.

"W-what do y-you mean? W-we love each other!" she choked out, upset that the idea of marriage was suddenly so appalling. "Simon, take off the crown! You're not acting right, take it off!"

"NO! SHE'S ALL I NEED! SHE'S ALL I'VE EVER NEEDED, OR WANTED, OR WILL NEED! YOU CAN'T TAKE HER FROM ME!" Simon screamed, grabbing at the crown. He rolled on the floor, knocking the coffee table to the side and scattering antique trinkets all over the floor.

Suddenly, he wrenched it off his head, panting. He laid there for a few seconds, breathing heavily. When he looked up, Betty gave him one last tear-filled, fearful look before running out the door. He never saw her again.

* * *

Five minutes earlier…

Simon grinned playfully as the love of his life placed the crown on his head. His smile vanished as soon as it rested in his bird's nest of dark brown hair.

The room was chaos. Indescribable, translucent monsters ran, hopped, flew, and crawled around his and Betty's comfortable living room. One looked like a giant eyeball, and stared at him. Another seemed to be noisily vomiting heads in the corner, while countless others climbed on the furniture, on the counter, on the table, on _him._

He stood stock-still, terrified of what he saw.

And then he heard The Voice. Deep, dark, and threatening.

_KIIILLLLLL THEEEEMMM ALLLLLLL._

Simon's very being seemed to shy from the horrible voice, which filled his head with its awful sounds and shook his very being. Out of fear, he cried out, "Who are you?"

The Voice replied, _I AM YOUUUUU. I AM YOUR WISHES, YOUR DESIRES. I AM WHAT YOU COULD BEEEEE, IF ONLY YOU EMBRACED MEEEE. POWER, INFINNITE POWER OVER ICE AND SNOW, COULD BE YOURS. YOU WILL NEVER DIEEEEE. ALL YOU MUST DO IS KIIIIILLLLL THEEEEMMMM ALLLLLLL. KIIIIIILLLL THE GIIIIRRRRLLLLL, KIILLLL EVERYONE._

_"_NO! NONONONONONO, NO! I WOULD NEVER DO THAT, EVER! I COULDN'T!" Simon screamed at the voice. He could never kill anyone, let alone his beautiful, precious Betty. If she was the price for power and immortality, he would never pay it.

_THE GIRRRLLL IS NOTHING. YOU DO NOT NEED HERRR. WITH MEEE, YOU CAN HAVE POWER. WITH ME, YOU CAN HAVE A KINGDOM. ALL YOU MUST DO IS GIVE HER DO NOT NEED SUCH A WORTHLESSS HUMANNN._ _IF YOU DO NOT KILL HERRR, I CANNNNN._

"NO! SHE'S ALL I NEED! SHE'S ALL I'VE EVER NEEDED, OR WANTED, OR WILL NEED! YOU CAN'T TAKE HER FROM ME!" Simon screamed, terrified of The Voice hurting his Betty. He clawed the crown from atop his head, throwing it aside and panting. He hadn't even realized that he had fallen to the floor.

When he looked up, Betty gave him a long, teary, look before running out the door.

He never saw her again.

* * *

I am trying to grow as a writer here, so any (constructive) comments about the story and my writing would be helpful. Thanks for reading my hard work! Hopefully, there will be more to come. –PD44


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